<s>
Anachronox	B-Application
is	O
a	O
2001	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
produced	O
by	O
Tom	O
Hall	O
and	O
the	O
Dallas	O
Ion	O
Storm	O
games	O
studio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
centered	O
on	O
Sylvester	O
"	O
Sly	O
Boots	O
"	O
Bucelli	O
,	O
a	O
down-and-out	O
private	O
investigator	O
who	O
looks	O
for	O
work	O
in	O
the	O
slums	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
,	O
a	O
once-abandoned	O
planet	O
near	O
the	O
galaxy	O
's	O
jumpgate	O
hub	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
for	O
Anachronox	B-Application
is	O
turn-based	O
;	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
a	O
party	O
of	O
up	O
to	O
three	O
characters	O
as	O
they	O
explore	O
a	O
3D	O
environment	O
of	O
futuristic	O
cities	O
,	O
space	O
vessels	O
,	O
and	O
outdoor	O
areas	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Inspirations	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
include	O
older	O
role-playing	O
video	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Chrono	B-Application
Trigger	I-Application
and	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
series	O
,	O
animator	O
Chuck	O
Jones	O
and	O
the	O
novel	O
Ender	O
's	O
Game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
built	O
with	O
a	O
heavily	O
modified	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
id	O
Software	O
's	O
id	B-Application
Tech	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
rewritten	O
chiefly	O
to	O
allow	O
a	O
wider	O
color	O
palette	O
,	O
emotive	O
animations	O
and	O
facial	O
expressions	O
,	O
better	O
lighting	O
,	O
particle	O
effects	O
,	O
and	O
camera	O
effects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
development	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
was	O
long	O
and	O
difficult	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
planned	O
for	O
a	O
third-quarter	O
1998	O
release	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
worldwide	O
in	O
June	O
2001	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2002	O
,	O
Anachronox	B-Application
cinematic	O
director	O
Jake	O
Hughes	O
spliced	O
together	O
gameplay	O
footage	O
and	O
cutscenes	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
feature-length	O
,	O
award-winning	O
machinima	O
film	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Anachronox	B-Application
is	O
a	O
turn-based	O
role-playing	O
game	O
similar	O
in	O
nature	O
to	O
many	O
Japanese	O
role-playing	O
video	O
games	O
like	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
protagonist	O
Boots	O
also	O
possesses	O
a	O
camera	O
,	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
use	O
to	O
take	O
screenshots	B-Application
for	O
their	O
own	O
enjoyment	O
or	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
quest	O
objectives	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
in	O
Chrono	B-Application
Trigger	I-Application
,	O
enemies	O
are	O
openly	O
visible	O
on	O
field	O
maps	O
or	O
lie	O
in	O
wait	O
to	O
ambush	O
the	O
party	O
and	O
thus	O
are	O
not	O
random	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
many	O
other	O
RPGs	O
,	O
Anachronox	B-Application
displays	O
a	O
character	O
's	O
attributes	O
with	O
qualitative	O
descriptors	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
Poor	O
and	O
Excellent	O
)	O
instead	O
of	O
integers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
create	O
MysTech	O
,	O
players	O
place	O
colored	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
(	O
found	O
on	O
small	O
hills	O
in	O
several	O
game	O
locations	O
)	O
in	O
empty	O
slots	O
on	O
an	O
Elementor	O
Host	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
color	O
of	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
placed	O
in	O
the	O
function	O
slot	O
determines	O
the	O
color	O
of	O
MysTech	O
,	O
while	O
other	O
slots	O
modify	O
the	O
power	O
and/or	O
range	O
of	O
the	O
spell	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
can	O
add	O
special	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
known	O
as	O
Cobalt	O
Crawlers	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
spell	O
target	O
all	O
enemies	O
instead	O
of	O
one	O
;	O
a	O
Host	O
filled	O
with	O
eight	O
Crawlers	O
unlocks	O
a	O
secret	O
spell	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
effect	O
of	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
can	O
be	O
amplified	O
by	O
feeding	O
them	O
petals	O
from	O
Lifeflowers	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
found	O
scattered	O
throughout	O
the	O
world	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
takes	O
place	O
on	O
Anachronox	B-Application
(	O
a	O
portmanteau	O
of	O
anachronism	O
and	O
noxious	O
,	O
meaning	O
"	O
poison	O
from	O
the	O
past	O
"	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
small	O
planet	O
floating	O
inside	O
a	O
huge	O
artificial	O
sphere	O
known	O
as	O
Sender	O
One	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Inhabitants	O
believe	O
that	O
diseased	O
aliens	O
were	O
quarantined	O
there	O
eons	O
ago	O
,	O
resulting	O
in	O
the	O
name	O
Anachronox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Northern	O
Anachronox	B-Application
is	O
clean	O
and	O
upscale	O
,	O
while	O
southern	O
Anachronox	B-Application
is	O
crime-ridden	O
and	O
run-down	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
protagonist	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
is	O
Sylvester	O
"	O
Sly	O
Boots	O
"	O
Bucelli	O
,	O
a	O
human	O
and	O
former	O
private	O
detective	O
on	O
Anachronox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fatima	O
was	O
fatally	O
injured	O
and	O
digitized	O
by	O
Boots	O
onto	O
a	O
PDA-analogue	O
"	O
LifeCursor	O
"	O
,	O
where	O
she	O
bitterly	O
lives	O
to	O
render	O
assistance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
former	O
curator	O
of	O
the	O
MysTech	O
museum	O
on	O
Anachronox	B-Application
,	O
Grumpos	O
devotes	O
his	O
life	O
to	O
studying	O
the	O
artifacts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Their	O
foes	O
include	O
Detta	O
,	O
a	O
heavyset	O
crime	O
boss/kingpin	O
on	O
planet	O
Anachronox	B-Application
,	O
and	O
several	O
other	O
monsters	O
and	O
shady	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sly	O
Boots	O
lives	O
in	O
a	O
cheap	O
apartment	O
above	O
Rowdy	O
's	O
,	O
a	O
bar	O
in	O
the	O
seedy	O
"	O
Bricks	O
"	O
section	O
of	O
South	O
Anachronox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rho	O
explains	O
that	O
the	O
universe	O
operates	O
on	O
the	O
big	O
bounce	O
principle	O
;	O
a	O
universe	O
that	O
forms	O
with	O
a	O
Big	B-Application
Bang	I-Application
will	O
eventually	O
suffer	O
a	O
Big	O
Crunch	O
,	O
giving	O
rise	O
to	O
a	O
new	O
big	B-Application
bang	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
realize	O
MysTech	O
functions	O
can	O
be	O
customized	O
through	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
small	O
,	O
colored	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
and	O
a	O
MysTech	O
host	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Scenes	O
of	O
reflection	O
reveal	O
the	O
past	O
on	O
Anachronox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sly	O
burst	O
in	O
with	O
news	O
of	O
Stiletto	O
's	O
location	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
and	O
Fatima	O
pursued	O
Detta	O
across	O
Anachronox	B-Application
by	O
flying	O
car	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
return	O
to	O
Anachronox	B-Application
to	O
find	O
Rowdy	O
,	O
a	O
disguised	O
citizen	O
of	O
Limbus	O
who	O
has	O
been	O
searching	O
for	O
the	O
gate	O
to	O
the	O
previous	O
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
infiltrate	O
his	O
fortress	O
,	O
kill	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
prepare	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
key	O
at	O
the	O
gate	O
itself	O
—	O
the	O
fountain	O
spiral	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
announced	O
Anachronox	B-Application
in	O
April	O
1997	O
,	O
and	O
planned	O
for	O
a	O
third-quarter	O
1998	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mapper	O
Larry	O
Herring	O
was	O
hired	O
after	O
being	O
mentored	O
by	O
John	O
Romero	O
and	O
submitting	O
a	O
custom	O
Doom	B-Application
2	I-Application
map	O
to	O
Tom	O
Hall	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hall	O
first	O
conceived	O
Anachronox	B-Application
in	O
his	O
bathroom	O
,	O
prompting	O
him	O
to	O
install	O
a	O
whiteboard	O
and	O
sound-recorder	O
in	O
his	O
shower	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
several	O
notepads	O
around	O
his	O
house	O
for	O
future	O
ideas	O
;	O
he	O
had	O
conceived	O
the	O
character	O
Sly	O
Boots	O
years	O
earlier	O
in	O
college	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
wrote	O
a	O
460-page	O
design	O
document	O
(	O
completed	O
in	O
May	O
1997	O
)	O
outlining	O
the	O
universe	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
,	O
beyond	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
scope	O
;	O
other	O
game	O
design	O
documents	O
of	O
the	O
period	O
,	O
he	O
noted	O
,	O
were	O
usually	O
only	O
125	O
pages	O
in	O
size	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hall	O
noted	O
in	O
mid-1997	O
,	O
"	O
Not	O
since	O
Keen	B-Application
has	O
a	O
universe	O
been	O
so	O
clear	O
in	O
my	O
head.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Tom	O
Hall	O
announced	O
that	O
Anachronox	B-Application
would	O
feature	O
a	O
"	O
turbulent	O
story	O
with	O
a	O
roller	O
coaster	O
of	O
emotion	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
promised	O
it	O
would	O
bring	O
personality	O
and	O
humor	O
to	O
the	O
role-playing	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
later	O
compared	O
the	O
name	O
Anachronox	B-Application
(	O
meaning	O
poison	O
from	O
the	O
past	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
internal	O
struggles	O
of	O
each	O
character	O
,	O
caused	O
by	O
turbulent	O
events	O
in	O
their	O
pasts	O
and	O
"	O
psychic	O
poison.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Hall	O
aimed	O
to	O
feature	O
high-quality	O
direction	O
and	O
camera-work	O
in	O
Anachronox	B-Application
,	O
reminiscent	O
of	O
epic	O
cinematic	O
themes	O
in	O
role-playing	O
video	O
games	O
like	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tom	O
Hall	O
chose	O
the	O
Quake	B-Application
engine	I-Application
for	O
Anachronox	B-Application
;	O
its	O
developer	O
John	O
Carmack	O
took	O
interest	O
in	O
its	O
use	O
for	O
a	O
role-playing	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
would	O
soon	O
switch	O
to	O
the	O
id	B-Application
Tech	I-Application
2	I-Application
engine	O
,	O
necessitating	O
a	O
transition	O
from	O
December	O
1997	O
to	O
March	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developers	O
built	O
the	O
first	O
models	O
in	O
Lightwave	B-Device
;	O
the	O
main	O
characters	O
had	O
polygon	O
counts	O
of	O
500	O
–	O
700	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hall	O
cited	O
Chrono	B-Application
Trigger	I-Application
as	O
a	O
strong	O
influence	O
;	O
previewers	O
drew	O
parallels	O
with	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
series	O
and	O
Ultima	B-Application
III	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
in	O
Chrono	B-Application
Trigger	I-Application
,	O
battles	O
were	O
scripted	O
and	O
not	O
caused	O
by	O
random	O
,	O
unavoidable	O
encounters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hall	O
listed	O
some	O
of	O
his	O
inspirations	O
for	O
Anachronox	B-Application
in	O
mid-2000	O
:	O
"	O
In	O
movies	O
,	O
some	O
inspirational	O
people	O
are	O
Spielberg	O
,	O
Hitchcock	O
,	O
George	O
Roy	O
Hill	O
,	O
Rob	O
Reiner	O
,	O
and	O
now	O
Sam	O
Mendes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Novels	O
:	O
Gateway	O
,	O
Ender	O
's	O
Game	O
,	O
Snow	O
Crash	O
,	O
Hitchhiker	B-Application
's	I-Application
,	O
so	O
many	O
more	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Games	O
:	O
Chrono	B-Application
Trigger	I-Application
,	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
,	O
LucasArts	O
adventures	O
(	O
Ron	O
Gilbert	O
and	O
Tim	O
Schafer	O
rock	O
)	O
,	O
Ape	B-Application
Escape	I-Application
(	O
buy	O
it	O
now	O
)	O
,	O
Mario	B-Application
,	O
Ultima	B-Application
III	I-Application
,	O
Wizardry	B-Application
I	I-Application
,	O
oh	O
,	O
I	O
'm	O
sure	O
I	O
'm	O
forgetting	O
some	O
!	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Hall	O
also	O
drew	O
dramatic	O
inspiration	O
from	O
a	O
scene	O
in	O
Chrono	B-Application
Trigger	I-Application
in	O
which	O
the	O
characters	O
discuss	O
the	O
theme	O
of	O
regret	O
around	O
a	O
campfire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
production	O
continued	O
,	O
Tom	O
Hall	O
dubbed	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
scripting	O
language	O
"	O
APE	O
"	O
(	O
Anachronox	B-Application
Programming	O
Language	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hall	O
wrote	O
and	O
coded	O
the	O
mini-game	O
Bugaboo	O
for	O
Anachronox	B-Application
in	O
15	O
hours	O
to	O
demonstrate	O
the	O
environment	O
's	O
simplicity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
(	O
a	O
battle	O
editor	O
)	O
,	O
ION	O
Radiant	O
(	O
for	O
level	O
design	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
QERadiant	B-Application
)	O
,	O
NoxDrop	O
(	O
for	O
item	O
and	O
character	O
placement	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
Planet	O
(	O
a	O
spline-based	O
camera	O
system	O
coded	O
by	O
Joey	O
Liaw	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
worked	O
with	O
QuakeEd	B-Application
developer	O
Robert	O
Duffy	O
to	O
create	O
QERadiant	B-Application
,	O
later	O
adapted	O
to	O
ION	O
Radiant	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
contracted	O
Soundelux	O
Design	O
Music	O
Group	O
to	O
provide	O
music	O
for	O
Anachronox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
spoke	O
of	O
the	O
planned	O
music	O
,	O
"	O
The	O
Anachronox	B-Application
sound	O
will	O
be	O
industrial	O
,	O
mixed	O
with	O
forties	O
bluesy	O
swing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developers	O
integrated	O
DirectMusic	B-Library
support	O
in	O
1999	O
to	O
allow	O
dynamic	O
changing	O
of	O
background	O
music	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sound	O
programmer	O
Henrik	O
Jonsson	O
implemented	O
3D	O
sound	O
and	O
other	O
capabilities	O
using	O
the	O
Miles	B-Library
Sound	I-Library
System	I-Library
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
solicited	O
feedback	O
from	O
fans	O
after	O
demonstrating	O
progress	O
on	O
Anachronox	B-Application
at	O
E3	O
1998	O
,	O
and	O
assured	O
inclusion	O
of	O
a	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gaming	O
press	O
received	O
Anachronox	B-Application
well	O
;	O
one	O
reporter	O
wrote	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
"	O
stunningly	O
beautiful	O
...	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
superb	O
effects	O
ever	O
seen	O
in	O
a	O
computer	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
rippling	O
water	O
,	O
stunning	O
laser	O
lights	O
and	O
shadow	O
effects	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Panelists	O
at	O
E3	O
nominated	O
Anachronox	B-Application
in	O
the	O
"	O
Most	O
Promising	O
Game	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Best	O
RPG	O
"	O
categories	O
for	O
the	O
Game	O
Critics	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
planned	O
for	O
a	O
1999	O
release	O
,	O
and	O
unveiled	O
new	O
screenshots	B-Application
at	O
the	O
1998	O
European	O
Computer	O
Trade	O
Show	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Among	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
maps	O
developed	O
in	O
1998	O
were	O
Hephaestus	O
(	O
polished	O
by	O
David	O
Namaksy	O
)	O
;	O
Whitendon	O
(	O
Iikka	O
Keränen	O
)	O
;	O
Democratus	O
,	O
"	O
Matrix	O
0	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
certain	O
interiors	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
(	O
Larry	O
Herring	O
)	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
city	O
of	O
Limbus	O
(	O
Rich	O
Carlson	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
That	O
November	O
,	O
several	O
developers	O
at	O
Ion	O
Storm	O
departed	O
to	O
form	O
their	O
own	O
company	O
;	O
among	O
them	O
was	O
David	O
Namaksy	O
,	O
lead	O
level	O
designer	O
for	O
Anachronox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
decided	O
to	O
produce	O
a	O
sequel	O
for	O
Anachronox	B-Application
around	O
early	O
1999	O
,	O
feeling	O
there	O
would	O
otherwise	O
be	O
too	O
much	O
content	O
for	O
one	O
game	O
,	O
requiring	O
prohibitive	O
costs	O
and	O
delays	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
launched	O
the	O
Anachronox	B-Application
website	O
in	O
early	O
1999	O
with	O
a	O
movie-style	O
trailer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tom	O
Hall	O
featured	O
four	O
Anachronox	B-Application
non-player	O
characters	O
in	O
his	O
online	O
tongue-in-cheek	O
spoof	O
of	O
Kasparov	O
versus	O
the	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Among	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
maps	O
completed	O
in	O
1999	O
were	O
the	O
Bricks	O
slums	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
(	O
Seneca	O
Menard	O
)	O
,	O
Ballotine	O
(	O
Josh	O
Jay	O
)	O
,	O
Sender	O
Station	O
(	O
Lee	O
Dotson	O
)	O
,	O
others	O
parts	O
of	O
Democratus	O
(	O
Matt	O
Sophos	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
Casinox	O
area	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
(	O
Brian	O
Patenaude	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
junkyard	O
maze	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	O
Games	O
Magazine	O
afterward	O
commented	O
that	O
Anachronox	B-Application
had	O
"	O
wider	O
roots	O
than	O
a	O
Banyan	O
grove	O
and	O
more	O
promise	O
per	O
square	O
byte	O
than	O
a	O
CD	O
collection	O
of	O
political	O
speeches.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
promoted	O
a	O
fall	O
2000	O
release	O
date	O
in	O
May	O
,	O
and	O
IGN	O
reported	O
in	O
July	O
that	O
a	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
port	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
was	O
planned	O
for	O
production	O
after	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
's	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
issued	O
a	O
clarification	O
that	O
they	O
were	O
only	O
considering	O
a	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
port	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
firm	O
transferred	O
staff	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
Daikatana	O
to	O
Anachronox	B-Application
after	O
the	O
former	O
's	O
release	O
in	O
summer	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hall	O
described	O
weekly	O
bug	B-Error_Name
meetings	O
before	O
release	O
:	O
"	O
you	O
see	O
100	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
at	O
the	O
start	O
of	O
the	O
week	O
,	O
fix	O
the	O
80	O
you	O
can	O
replicate	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
meet	O
the	O
next	O
Monday	O
to	O
address	O
the	O
200	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
they	O
found	O
,	O
fix	O
the	O
160	O
you	O
can	O
replicate	O
,	O
then	O
meet	O
to	O
discuss	O
the	O
400	O
they	O
found	O
...	O
the	O
time	O
in-between	O
is	O
scary	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Usually	O
,	O
the	O
programmers	O
find	O
the	O
bug	B-Error_Name
,	O
then	O
stumble	O
out	O
of	O
their	O
cube	O
,	O
'	O
we	O
were	O
SO	O
lucky	O
to	O
find	O
that	O
 '	O
or	O
'	O
how	O
did	O
that	O
EVER	O
work	O
?	O
'	O
</s>
<s>
Anachronox	B-Application
went	O
gold	O
and	O
shipped	O
to	O
manufacturers	O
in	O
late	O
June	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Anachronox	B-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
27	O
,	O
2001	O
,	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
June	O
29	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
and	O
June	O
30	O
in	O
Oceania	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PC	O
Gamer	O
packaged	O
a	O
game	O
demo	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
with	O
its	O
100th	O
issue	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
2001	O
,	O
sales	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
in	O
North	O
America	O
had	O
reached	O
20,480	O
units	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
PC	O
Data	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Team	O
member	O
Lucas	O
Davis	O
compiled	O
the	O
development	O
tools	O
and	O
documentation	O
for	O
Anachronox	B-Application
and	O
released	O
them	O
in	O
August	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Four	O
bug-fixing	O
patches	O
exist	O
for	O
Anachronox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
created	O
the	O
first	O
(	O
1.01	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
fixed	O
the	O
Windows	B-Application
2000	I-Application
buffer	O
overrun	O
crash	O
and	O
implemented	O
other	O
improvements	O
such	O
as	O
taxi-cabs	O
between	O
distant	O
points	O
and	O
enhanced	O
save	O
game	O
functionality	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Joey	O
Liaw	O
set	O
up	O
a	O
GeoCities	O
website	O
for	O
reporting	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
and	O
technical	O
information	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
,	O
and	O
worked	O
on	O
a	O
new	O
patch	O
in	O
his	O
spare	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
third	O
and	O
fourth	O
patches	O
—	O
1.02	O
(	O
build	O
45	O
)	O
,	O
released	O
September	O
2003	O
,	O
and	O
1.02	O
(	O
build	O
46	O
)	O
,	O
released	O
April	O
2004	O
—	O
are	O
fan-made	O
unofficial	O
patches	O
and	O
fix	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
remaining	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
.	O
</s>
<s>
Level	O
designer	O
Rich	O
Carlson	O
released	O
a	O
scrapped	O
secret	O
level	O
for	O
Anachronox	B-Application
in	O
February	O
2004	O
after	O
finding	O
it	O
on	O
an	O
old	O
floppy	B-Device
disk	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Anachronox	B-Application
earned	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PC	O
Gamer	O
featured	O
Anachronox	B-Application
four	O
times	O
in	O
its	O
top	O
100	O
PC	O
games	O
lists	O
:	O
#16	O
(	O
2007	O
)	O
,	O
#17	O
(	O
2008	O
)	O
,	O
#61	O
(	O
2010	O
)	O
,	O
&	O
#76	O
(	O
2015	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Writer	O
Jeff	O
Green	O
lamented	O
that	O
Ion	O
Storm	O
had	O
shut	O
down	O
after	O
Anachronox	B-Application
;	O
he	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
easily	O
the	O
best	O
console-style	O
RPG	O
ever	O
made	O
for	O
the	O
PC.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
compared	O
it	O
to	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
series	O
and	O
Deus	B-Application
Ex	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Evening	O
Standard	O
wrote	O
,	O
"	O
Anachronox	B-Application
swaps	O
puzzlement	O
for	O
humour	O
while	O
keeping	O
the	O
character	O
interaction	O
,	O
deep	O
storyline	O
and	O
strategic	O
battles	O
that	O
make	O
the	O
Japanese	O
games	O
so	O
good.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
cinematic	O
cutscenes	O
were	O
also	O
acclaimed	O
;	O
Computer	O
and	O
Video	O
Games	O
noted	O
they	O
were	O
"	O
superbly	O
used	O
for	O
laughs	O
or	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
real	O
sense	O
of	O
dramatic	O
tension	O
"	O
,	O
while	O
Next	O
Generation	O
wrote	O
that	O
Anachronox	B-Application
would	O
be	O
remembered	O
as	O
the	O
germination	O
point	O
for	O
blending	O
interactive	O
gaming	O
and	O
cinema	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
hailed	O
the	O
story	O
,	O
characters	O
,	O
setting	O
,	O
and	O
dialogue	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
,	O
citing	O
its	O
science	O
fiction	O
themes	O
and	O
offbeat	O
,	O
quirky	O
humor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
setting	O
was	O
compared	O
to	O
Blade	B-Application
Runner	I-Application
,	O
film	O
noir	O
,	O
The	O
Matrix	O
,	O
Total	O
Recall	O
and	O
the	O
Dark	O
City	O
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sly	O
was	O
well-received	O
,	O
described	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
typical	O
downtrodden	O
B-movie	O
private	O
eye	O
"	O
,	O
a	O
"	O
Mickey	O
Spillane-style	O
hero	O
"	O
in	O
a	O
cyberpunk	O
setting	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
"	O
space-age	O
Sam	B-Application
Spade	I-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
critics	O
complained	O
about	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
slow	O
start	O
on	O
the	O
planet	O
Anachronox	B-Application
,	O
especially	O
its	O
elevator-riding	O
scenes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
critics	O
took	O
issue	O
with	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
graphics	O
and	O
outdated	O
id	B-Application
Tech	I-Application
2	I-Application
engine	O
;	O
reviewer	O
Stephen	O
Hunt	O
named	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
a	O
muddy	O
affair	O
"	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
"	O
elderly	O
"	O
engine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
also	O
encountered	O
several	O
software	B-Error_Name
bugs	I-Error_Name
and	O
glitches	O
,	O
among	O
them	O
incompatibility	O
with	O
Windows	B-Application
2000	I-Application
and	O
a	O
bug	B-Error_Name
forcing	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
repeat	O
a	O
sequence	O
near	O
the	O
end	O
several	O
times	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
also	O
criticized	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
restricted	O
display	B-General_Concept
resolution	I-General_Concept
choices	O
;	O
players	O
could	O
only	O
choose	O
from	O
two	O
options	O
at	O
polar	O
ends	O
of	O
hardware	O
requirements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
29	O
November	O
2021	O
,	O
Vice	O
published	O
a	O
retrospective	O
on	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
including	O
interviews	O
with	O
many	O
of	O
those	O
involved	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
releasing	O
Anachronox	B-Application
,	O
Ion	O
Storm	O
retextured	O
characters	O
and	O
adapted	O
sequences	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
Shiner	O
,	O
a	O
production	O
by	O
the	O
Undermain	O
Theatre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Anachronox	B-Application
references	O
the	O
films	O
Miller	O
's	O
Crossing	O
and	O
Barton	O
Fink	O
through	O
street	O
addresses	O
on	O
planet	O
Anachronox	B-Application
;	O
Tom	O
Hall	O
had	O
studied	O
acting	O
at	O
the	O
University	O
of	O
Wisconsin	O
–	O
Madison	O
and	O
volunteered	O
as	O
an	O
usher	O
for	O
Undermain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cinematic	O
director	O
Jake	O
Hughes	O
independently	O
combined	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
cut-scenes	O
into	O
a	O
two-and-a-half-hour	O
film	O
titled	O
Anachronox	B-Application
:	O
The	O
Movie	O
,	O
released	O
as	O
13	O
MPEG	O
files	O
on	O
Machinima.com	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
com	O
's	O
editors	O
said	O
of	O
the	O
film	O
,	O
"	O
Anachronox	B-Application
:	O
The	O
Movie	O
is	O
a	O
tour	O
de	O
force	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
finest	O
Machinima	O
films	O
produced	O
to	O
date	O
,	O
and	O
probably	O
the	O
most	O
accomplished	O
Machinima	O
feature	O
to	O
date	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tom	O
Hall	O
felt	O
the	O
story	O
of	O
Anachronox	B-Application
was	O
too	O
large	O
for	O
one	O
game	O
(	O
requiring	O
an	O
estimated	O
70	O
hours	O
of	O
gameplay	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
planned	O
for	O
two	O
expansion	O
packs	O
in	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
confirmed	O
in	O
1999	O
that	O
Anachronox	B-Application
would	O
be	O
followed	O
by	O
only	O
one	O
sequel	O
;	O
several	O
art	O
assets	O
had	O
already	O
been	O
created	O
for	O
the	O
sequel	O
by	O
mid-2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ion	O
Storm	O
's	O
closure	O
nixed	O
plans	O
for	O
a	O
continuation	O
;	O
Hall	O
has	O
unsuccessfully	O
tried	O
to	O
purchase	O
the	O
intellectual	O
property	O
rights	O
to	O
the	O
Anachronox	B-Application
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
later	O
stated	O
that	O
he	O
did	O
not	O
regret	O
ending	O
Anachronox	B-Application
on	O
a	O
cliffhanger	O
,	O
as	O
most	O
characters	O
had	O
resolved	O
their	O
inner	O
turmoil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Former	O
team	O
members	O
often	O
mention	O
that	O
if	O
I	O
ever	O
got	O
the	O
intellectual	O
property	O
back	O
and	O
was	O
going	O
to	O
make	O
Anachronox	B-Application
2	O
,	O
just	O
tell	O
them	O
when	O
and	O
where	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
February	O
17	O
,	O
2015	O
,	O
Square	O
Enix	O
announced	O
that	O
it	O
will	O
allow	O
developers	O
to	O
create	O
games	O
based	O
on	O
some	O
of	O
their	O
old	O
Eidos	O
IPs	O
via	O
the	O
Square	O
Enix	O
Collective	O
project	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
Anachronox''	O
IP	O
.	O
</s>
